Loelick's Archives

The day was drawing to a close, and the pink-orange hues of sunset were already spreading across the sky, painting the foothills in unnaturally bright colors. However, the three people walking along the road were indifferent to this sight. For the same reason as before, they had failed to find any easy prey and were returning to their leader empty-handed.
- A misfortune, - one of them commented succinctly on the situation.
- Indeed, - the second replied, - everyone's gotten jumpy. No one travels alone anymore. We need to find another spot.
- Tell that to the boss, - the first snorted skeptically.
- They already talked without me, - the second dismissed him, - thanks, I still want to live.
The third member of the group interrupted their conversation.
- Look, - he waved his hand, pointing to a lone figure sitting on a hill, beyond which lay a small wood.
Like hunting dogs that had scented prey, the thugs reached for their weapons and moved quickly but stealthily toward the victim.
A fair-haired youth of medium height sat on the grass, wrapped in a long cloak, enjoying the sight of the fading day. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed movement, turned, and grabbed his staff, but the opponents had the numerical advantage.
- Hey, pointy-ears, - one of the bandits grinned nastily, playing with a dagger, - purse or life?
- I have no money, - the boy replied simply.
- All the worse for you, - the brigand approached his victim threateningly, while the other two flanked him.
- I assure you, if you kill me, it won't make anyone any better off, - the youth seemed to be stalling for time.
- No-o-o, pointy-ears, you won't get away that easily. As they say, if we don't get bread from you, we'll settle for a show, - the thug chuckled, signaling his comrades.
The blond youth only smiled slightly, adjusting his cloak.
The bandits pounced on the victim in unison – it seemed the matter was settled. However, instead of grabbing the carefree elf, they only collided head-on. And the "elf" hovered half a meter above their heads, and the wings behind his back merged into an emerald-shimmering cloud, blazing with the colors of the sunset.

For this evening, the bear had planned a vegetarian menu – berries, roots, and if lucky, he'd manage to raid some hive. In search of food, he hadn't noticed that he had reached the edge of the forest. Here, it was as if someone called him. The clumsy beast raised its muzzle, sniffed, as if listening to a call. Then, shaking itself, it lumbered awkwardly toward the hill where several bipeds stood.
Well then. The menu can be revised. Meat it is.

Having provided the bandits with an unforgettable and final spectacle in their lives, Tiolas flew away to catch his breath. He felt terribly awkward before the bear, however silly that might sound. He was a convinced pacifist and resorted to violence only in extreme cases – like now, for example.
"After all," he told himself, "if it weren't me against them, but them against me, how many people would I be unable to save?"
Kindness, softness, compassion, a fragile build… Tiolas was certainly not the model of masculinity, and this had been made clear to him since childhood. His mother, a strong and influential sorceress, was openly ashamed of her weak son and prophesied a bleak future for him. Peers mocked him; girls wrinkled their noses in contempt. In attempts to pass lonely evenings, Tiolas disappeared into the library. He understood that he would never become a stern warrior; his soul leaned toward healing. The boy secretly hoped that his mother and others would notice his abilities and allow him to become a full member of society despite all the customs accepted among fairies.
Nevertheless, it didn't work. Tiolas's mother tried to force her son to at least hunt, but this failed too. When a wild cat, which the youth had already marked as prey, suddenly approached, pressed its forehead against the knees of its potential killer and began to purr like a proper house cat, Tiolas realized that he could not take another creature's life simply on a whim. His mother erupted in an angry tirade and after that spent a week acting as if her son didn't exist.
However, Tiolas did not become a vegetarian. Killing for food is not meaningless at all, though it is cruel. And if someone else does the killing – one can accept it.
As he grew up, Tiolas differed more and more from his peers; girls didn't even look his way, and boys tried to provoke "this bookworm" at every opportunity. Confidence grew within Tiolas that he would not pass the initiation into manhood, and one night he packed his things, grabbed a homemade staff intended to make an impression, and simply ran away. Or rather, flew away.
At first, Tiolas feared he would be searched for. For the sake of conspiracy, he often traveled through villages and hamlets, pretending to be an elf and trying not to stay long. His healing abilities were quickly appreciated by people, and a good reputation for the mysterious elf-healer spread. Initially, the man of the hour viewed this matter with tension, but it seemed that the population of Ofaash didn't care at all what the fugitive was doing now – perhaps he was forgotten very quickly. However, at the dawn of his healing career, Tiolas managed, for the sake of even deeper conspiracy, to pass himself off not as an elf, but as a female elf, and he succeeded too well – the village elder began to cast such unambiguous glances and make such unambiguous hints that the fairy decided it was best to quietly retreat and avoid this village in the future.
During his wanderings, Tiolas developed not only healing magic but also skills in dealing with animals, which saved his life more than once or twice. He tried not to abuse his ability, but sometimes it happened involuntarily, and in peaceful times, it happened that animals themselves came to him and asked the fairy to scratch their bellies or behind their ears.
The youth was often visited by the thought that his wanderings could not continue forever – it was time to settle down, find a home, a beautiful wife (ideally, of course, a little fairy and a couple of children, but elven and human women are also beautiful in their own way). However, in matters of love, our hero was categorically unlucky. No, girls didn't run away from him as they did at home. They respected him very much, but usually as a friend. Or even as a girlfriend. Tiolas remembered for life the reaction of one girl to his quite explicit flirting. She was incredibly surprised then and later admitted – she hadn't even thought that her buddy preferred women.
"Because you're, well, you're so… cute," she murmured bashfully.
After that incident, Tiolas completely lost heart.

Now, Tsondoh Sizeb was on his route. A city like any other, neither better nor worse than the rest. Who knows what fate has in store for him…
"It's already late. I'll spend the night here, by the forest, and enter the city tomorrow morning," Tiolas decided, wrapping himself more tightly in his cloak and rummaging through his bag for food.

Fairy: The character is capable of flight, immune to melee attacks, evasion from ranged attacks increased by 1.5 times; +2 to immunity for each unit of intelligence.

Strength - 5
Agility - 15
Perception - 20
Endurance - 20
Intelligence - 40
Will - 35
Charisma - 5


Alchemy
The character gains the ability to craft preparations that restore health and mana both in and out of combat
The higher the intelligence, the lower the chance of failure when crafting a preparation; base failure chance - 80%, each unit of intelligence reduces the failure chance by 2%
The character is capable of determining the effects of unknown preparations
Starting set of 15 potions
Skills:
✧ Poison Expert ✧ The character gains the ability to craft poisons and antidotes, determine the poisons used to poison allies; +20 to immunity
✧ Ailment Expert ✧ The character gains the ability to craft preparations that cure physical diseases and mental disorders; +30 to immunity


Nature Magic
Ability to restore mana using plants; the amount of restored mana depends on the caster's willpower and the size of the plant
Skills:
✧ Herbs of Life ✧ The fairy uses magic and herbs to restore health to themselves or an ally; health is restored by the amount of mana invested
✧ Subjugation ✧ The fairy subjugates a wild animal or ent to their will (50)

Inventory:
Knife (for household purposes, but in case of emergency can be used for fighting if pressed).
Long staff decorated with feathers and pebbles (used for spellcasting, but can also smack someone over the spine).
Potions for treating wounds, curing diseases, antidotes (equal amounts of each).
Supply of ingredients for potions and potion-making tools.
Field medical kit with bandages and other medical junk.
Ordinary clothes, a cloak that hides wings (just in case).
Various food, a couple of books, a map, and other small things.
Money (he lied to the bandits).